Why It's So Hard to Fight Wildlife Crime

While backpacking through Africa after finishing college, 2016 National Geographic Emerging Explorer Naftali Honig came face-to-face with the corruption driving wildlife trafficking. After watching a commercial bush-meat trader bust while knowing the poacher would never face serious punishment, Honig knew he had to do something. Instead of going to medical school like he had been planning, Honig co-founded the EAGLE Network with a group of activists. The organization's main goal is to bring wildlife traffickers to justice, and so far the EAGLE Network has succeeded in jailing more than a thousand wildlife traffickers while winning many international awards for its work. Honig takes the stage to share his passion for wildlife and to talk about why fighting wildlife crime is hard.

The National Geographic Live series brings thought-provoking presentations by today’s leading explorers, scientists, photographers, and performing artists right to you. Each presentation is filmed in front of a live audience at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. New clips air every week.

Why It's So Hard to Fight Wildlife Crime

While backpacking through Africa after finishing college, 2016 National Geographic Emerging Explorer Naftali Honig came face-to-face with the corruption driving wildlife trafficking. After watching a commercial bush-meat trader bust while knowing the poacher would never face serious punishment, Honig knew he had to do something. Instead of going to medical school like he had been planning, Honig co-founded the EAGLE Network with a group of activists. The organization's main goal is to bring wildlife traffickers to justice, and so far the EAGLE Network has succeeded in jailing more than a thousand wildlife traffickers while winning many international awards for its work. Honig takes the stage to share his passion for wildlife and to talk about why fighting wildlife crime is hard.

The National Geographic Live series brings thought-provoking presentations by today’s leading explorers, scientists, photographers, and performing artists right to you. Each presentation is filmed in front of a live audience at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. New clips air every week.